


An Impossible Rose (Ver. 1.1)

by thesalsagamer396



Series: An Impossible Love [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch Era, Dense Jack, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Pining Gabe, angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-03-10
Packaged: 2018-10-01 23:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10202984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesalsagamer396/pseuds/thesalsagamer396
Summary: The Blue Rose is impossible naturally. The perfect rose to describe how one Commander of Blackwatch feels toward one Strike Commander





	

**Author's Note:**

> I am so thankful for the feedback. So I went ahead and revamped it. Let me know what you think.
> 
> Also, this was written before Uprising.

He was in love.

That was a thought Gabriel Reyes figured he’d never have. That he was in love.

Though, he supposed it was inevitable. The object of his affection had been by his side during SEP. He was so bright and positive. His smile could light the darkest caves. He was so humble about the good things that came to his life. Even when he got the promotion that belonged to Gabriel, he was so humble about it. He knew he didn’t deserve it. And Gabe couldn’t stay mad at him for long. Not with those breath-taking great blue eyes sparkling at him with warmth and fondness for his friend.

How could he not fall in love with John “Jack” Morrison?

But, how could Jack return his feelings? With leading Overwatch and charming the UN constantly, he didn’t have any time for his old friend. A relationship with him would be outright impossible.

Then again, Gabe thought that coughing up flower petals was impossible, too.

It started long after Jack was named Strike Commander. Gabriel had gotten over the initial anger and jealousy that came with him being denied what was rightfully his. But, he came to reason that Jack was always better with paperwork and press. Gabe was good at leading and standing tall in life or death situations. Jack was better off up there and not down where he was in Blackwatch. These agents would eat him up from his golden locks to his battle-hardened feet.

Soon after Dr Ziegler had saved that Shimada boy’s life, Gabe bumped into his old friend after checking on the young Shimada. Jack left him with an apology and a friendly smile. The kind that always warmed up his heart whenever he had the privilege to be the only one to receive it.

And once he couldn’t see Jack, he started coughing.

He managed to cover his mouth when a rather violent one was ripped out of his throat.

And out of his mouth came a flower petal. A blue rose petal to be exact.

He wasn’t dumb. He knew coughing up flower petals wasn’t normal. He went straight back to the good doctor’s office.

And that is where he found himself now. Sitting on a bed next to a cyborg ninja waiting for the doctor to explain how he could be coughing up a blue rose petal.

“Quite extraordinary, Gabriel. In nature, it is impossible for a blue rose to grow naturally out in the wild. Let alone in a human body.”

“So what you’re saying is that there is no possible way for this to be happening, and yet here we are?”

“Well, yes! So, I need you to tell me about what happened prior to coughing up an impossible flower.”

“Well, after I left here, I bumped into Jack. He said hi. Then he left. Then suddenly blue rose petal.”

“So…Nothing out of the ordinary? No other strange feelings?”

“None at all, doc.”

The cyborg looked at Gabe, then at the doctor. “Doctor…I am rather famished…Could you get me something to eat?”

“Ah…Of course, Genji. Stay here, Gabriel.”

“Thank you, Angela.”

The doctor left the two of them alone. The Shimada – Genji – looked at Gabriel again. The older man looked back at that scarred face.

“What are you looking at, boy?”

“You know, there have been tales of a disease like yours in my home.”

“Disease? This is a sickness?”

“Yes…We called it the ‘Hanahaki’ disease. It is said to be contracted when someone experiences unrequited and one-sided love so strongly, it grows into a flower within your body. And the flower will grow until it suffocates you.”

“Ok ok ok hold on there, kid. You’re saying that one sided love kills?”

“I have only heard stories. I never believed them until now…I have heard that the flower is much like the one you love. What does a Blue Rose mean if it is not natural?”

Gabriel looked away from the cyborg in an almost ashamed manner. “It means along the lines of longing for the impossible.”

“I see. I would pity you, but I can tell you are a man that would kill me if I did. Is it alright to ask for whom you have feelings for?”

“No. It’s not alright. Just tell me how to get rid of it.”

“Well…There is surgically removing the infection. But removing the flower would be to lose your feelings for this person completely. If you don’t want that, the person you have feelings for must return your feelings. But, I may be wrong…I have only heard tales, after all.”

Angela came back with some food for Genji. Gabriel promptly left without a word.

Gabe shook off what the kid said. It was all ridiculous. He couldn’t believe that his love for the blue-eyed man would kill him. He figured it’d go away after a week or so.

He couldn’t be more wrong.

 

It started with Jesse McCree.

“Y’ think th’ Strike Commander likes flowers fer his birthday, Pa?”

Gabe shook out of his small trance as he looked around the carrier he and his crew were on. They were on their way to Hanamura to confront the Shimada clan after what happened to Genji. The cyborg was already asleep after half an hour of flight.

And there was Jesse sitting in front of him as usual.

“What? Flowers? Why?”

“Ah dunno…Feel like Ah’ve been hard on’th good Strike Commander…Maybe Ah can get some of them flowers from Hanamura for his birthday. Y’know?”

Gabriel thought about it. Jack’s birthday was in a week.

“I…guess so? Just try not to make it seem like you’re coming on to him. Unless you’ve got the hots for him.”

“Yer embarressin’, y’know that, Pa?”

The commander of Blackwatch laughed. No one ever said “the hots” anymore. Still, it gave him a good thought. Jack loved flowers. He thought about the way he would smile if he was given flowers on Valentine’s. The way those bright blue eyes would light up at the thought of someone in love with him. He would always try to guess who his secret admirer was.

Never once did he realize that the secret admirer was always right next to him.

The thought brought pain to his heart. And an itch in his throat.

He covered his mouth and started coughing violently.

“Pa?! You ok?!”

Gabe looked at his hand again. Another blue rose petal. He hid the petal in his pocket with a movement that looked like he was wiping his hand on his pants.

“Just a cough, mijo. I’m fine.”

He looked over at Genji. The cyborg had woken up from his coughing. He could feel that knowing gaze through that mask.

 

“Why did you say nothing to him?”

The soft, robotic voice of the ninja was behind him. The mission was a success. The Shimada clan fell apart. Especially with the supposed heir nowhere to be found (which made Genji really angry). It gave Gabriel no shock. He knew a thing or two about stealth.

“He doesn’t need to know. He just needs to get the job done. It’s hard for him if he’s busy worrying about my health.”

“And what about the one you pine for?”

The Latino finally looked at the cyborg. He could tell he was silently judging him.

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

“If that is the case, why not take the infection out of your body? You could focus on your work and move on completely.”

He thought about it. Getting rid of this disease would get rid of his feelings for that blue-eyed man. And, truthfully, it would be for the best. Overwatch and Blackwatch would run with no problems if its leaders were not romantically involved.

But, he couldn’t let go of those feelings.

He loved Jack. He loved him so much, he’s dying from it. But, those feelings started innocently. It started with concern for a fellow soldier. He was afraid that if he stopped loving Jack, he’d stop caring about him.

“I have my reasons.”

“Of course, sir…”

 

Jack had asked Gabe to join him on a mission. Just the two of them. It was an undercover mission. “Like old times,” Jack noted with that warm laugh of his (cue another coughing fit).

It was strange that two of the biggest faces in Overwatch were able to pull off a mission under cover. Most of their cover consisted of kisses in the dark. Once they were sure that they were safe, they pulled away from their lip lock.

“You’re a good kisser, Gabe.”

The Latino took a chance. He had been coughing quite a bit lately. He kept it out of Jack’s attention. He didn’t need him to worry. But now…?

“I could kiss you every day, if you like.”

“Hm?”

“Even outside of the mission…I could kiss you like this every day…”

“G-Gabe…”

“Could hold you like this…Could keep you safe…warm…loved…”

“Gabe…” There was a bit of an unbelieving blush forming on the Strike Commander’s face.

_“Te amo…”_

“Gabe! We’re in the clear! You can stop the act now!”

There was a burn in his throat. But he couldn’t turn to run. Not now!

“Gabe?”

He turned away doubled over, coughing so violently. He quickly hid the rose petals in his pockets. But with the petals came blood this time. He hid the petals successfully, but when his fit was over, Jack saw a little evidence of his illness. The blood.

“G-Gabe…Are you…Are you sick…?”

“I’m fine! It’s nothing!”

“Gabe, you coughed up blood! This isn't nothing!”

The look on Jack’s face was horrified. Gabe would have found it touching if the look didn’t spark another fit. Jack took out a napkin he kept in his pocket and held it to his friend’s face. He took the napkin gladly and coughed into it. At least he could hide his shame in the napkin.

“Oh Gabe…I…I’m so sorry…If I knew you were so sick, I wouldn’t have…Oh I’m so sorry, Gabe…Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?! What do you have?! Don't tell me it's TB...?!”

Gabe studied that face. It broke his heart to see him so…worried…He looked so scared that he would lose his best friend right then and there.

“Didn’t want you to worry, boyscout.”

“Gabe, this is serious! You’re dying!”

“Stop worrying like that. It’s bad for your complexion.”

“We’re going back. We’re going back right now! We’re going back and we’re taking you to Dr. Ziegler to get you treated! Get up, Gabe! Right now! Right now!”

 

The moment they got back to base in Switzerland, Jack ushered Gabe away from prying eyes and ears. He went straight to Dr. Ziegler’s office.

“Angela! Angela! Please! He’s sick! He’s dying!”

Angela led Gabriel to one of the beds. He felt like coughing again. What a pitiful sight he made. To be led to safety by the man he loves. And he didn’t love him back. It was pure concerned for a friend.

“Jack, get some water.”

The moment Jack left his line of sight, Gabe started coughing violently again. The blue petals were blended with his red blood. He kept coughing and coughing and coughing. The petals kept falling and falling and falling. The blood kept spilling and spilling and spilling. He could hear Angela screaming his name, could barely feel her hands on his arms, could barely see her horrified face. This was it. He was going to die by a sickness that shouldn’t exist. He would laugh if he had the breath. He’s dying because of a crush he has.

He collapsed onto the floor, the last thing he ever heard was a loud **_BOOM_**.

 

He woke up in a hospital bed. He didn’t know how long he was out.

“Pa! Pa! Doc, he is awakin’!”

“Easy, Jesse! Don’t jump him!”

He sat up and looked to the side. There sat Jesse McCree, looking relieved.

Something was wrong. Something felt very wrong.

Jesse McCree didn’t have that much dirt and facial hair on his face.

“You aren’t Jesse…” His voice was so much more different. So…tired.

“Pa…Oh, Pa…Yer back…Yer finally back…”

The man hugged him tightly. He barely felt his body. Something felt so very wrong.

“I don’t understand…What happened…? Where’s Jack?! I need to see him!”

Metal footsteps made themselves known in the room. A familiar cyborg entered his room.

“You are awake…What do you remember last?” The Shimada asked.

“I was coughing up more petals in Switzerland…”

Angela cleared her throat to get Gabe’s attention. “Gabriel…That was six years ago…”

The room was spinning. Six years?! No, that couldn’t be right! It had to be a lie! A cruel joke! It couldn’t have been six years!

“Y’ honestly dunno what you were doin’ these past few years? You’ere callin’ yerself ‘The Reaper’ an’ actin’ like you knew us, but…Y’ honestly dunno?”

“No…I don’t remember any of that…”

“You were an assassin working for Talon,” Genji stated, handing the man a bone-white mask that reminded Gabe of a barn owl.

“Talon…? We have intel on them. They’re a terrorist group! Why would I join them?!”

“We don’t know, Gabriel!” Angela exclaimed. “After the explosion, we thought you were dead!”

“Explosion…?! What explosion?!”

“Hey! What’s going on in here? Don’t crowd him!”

That voice! That sweet voice! He missed it so much!

A new face entered the room. Rather than blonde hair, he saw white. Rather than smooth babyface skin, he saw scarred and wrinkly skin. But he knew who he was. Gabe knew that smile. And he knew those beautiful blue eyes.

He was still in love with that man.

There was a pang in his chest, and he was ready for more coughing and petals and blood. But, it never came. It left him feeling confused.

Until Jack walked up to him, holding the most beautiful Blue Rose the world has ever known.

“I’m sorry I was so dense, Gabe, but…You know, I never knew what you said to me those years ago. But, I know now. I know you meant it…And I am so sorry that I didn’t get it sooner…How are you feeling?”

“…You got old, boyscout…”

The man of his affection smiled and sat down opposite of Jesse. He leaned down and stole a kiss from the man. He took the latino’s hand and offered the blue rose.

“I’m still here if you would have me…I understand if you don’t want me, but…I’m still here if you still want me…I’m not going anywhere, Gabe…”

Gabe stared in awe. He gave a small smile and nodded. “… ** _Te amo, Jack_** …”


End file.
